Experiência de cárie dentária e fatores sociais predisponentes em crianças de 8 a 10 anos de idade em Belo Horizonte: um estudo multinível

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of dental caries in Brazilian children and determine predisposing factors. A representative sample of 1204 eight-toten-year-old children was randomly selected from 19 public and private schools in thecity of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. After formal authorization from the parents, the children were clinically examined at school by two calibrated examiners (Kappa=0.78). Individual socioeconomic status was determined using household income, number of residents in the home and parents'/caregivers' schooling. The social vulnerability indexand type of school were used as ecological variables. The outcome variables were dental caries experience in permanent teeth (DMFT or = 0) and dental caries experience in primary teeth (dmft or = 0). The majority of children (62.8%) was caries-free. A total of 1091 children (90.6%) had no dental caries experience in permanent teeth. Among the 1080 children with primary teeth, 63.50% (686 children) had no dental caries experience in these teeth. Chi-squared and Mann-Witney testsshowed that age, parents'/caregivers' schooling and household income were associated with dental caries experience in permanent teeth (p<0.05). In the multilevel approach, the analysis of the final estimation of variance components of the null model revealed a significant difference among the 19 schools only with regard to dental caries experiencein primary teeth (p<0.001). Among the individual variables, household income demonstrated a weak association with dental caries experience in primary teeth, whereas type of school was strongly associated with dental caries experience in these teeth (p<0.001). The prevalence of dental caries experience in primary teeth among children attending private schools was nearly half that found in children attendingpublic schools. Public health policies should prioritize the incorporation of measures that encourage healthy habits and the creation of healthy environments in public schools in order to promote health in this population.